


Closing the Gap

by ImmortalSpuffy202



Category: Free!
Genre: Confusion, Eventual Nanase Haruka/Tachibana Makoto, Friendship, Implied Hazuki Nagisa/Ryuugazaki Rei, M/M, haru is oblivious
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-20
Updated: 2020-02-29
Packaged: 2020-05-15 11:16:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 6,629
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19294639
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ImmortalSpuffy202/pseuds/ImmortalSpuffy202
Summary: When a simple misunderstanding occurs in a small café, Makoto and Haruka begin questioning the status of their relationship. Eventual Makoharu and implied Reigisa. "Together? Is that really what it looked like? He knew he doted on Haru, but he didn't think people would make that assumption."





	1. Chapter One

**Author's Note:**

> Hey everyone! Welcome to my first Free fic! I got into the show about a year ago and was obsessed with Makoharu for a while. I just recently got back into it and decided to write a small fic. I’m not quite sure how long this will be at the moment, but it’ll at least be a couple chapters. Enjoy!

Soft chatter filled the quaint café and the early morning sunlight shone through the windows. Silverware clinked against plates, and waiters bustled around carrying trays of food and coffee.

“Hey Haru?” Makoto prompted gently. Haruka looked up from the menu he was holding. “Do you want to come over to my place for dinner? Mom’s making mackerel.” Haruka smiled softly, inclining his head slightly as an affirmative. Makoto grinned widely at his friend. Now that they were in their last year of high school it has been much harder to get together. Looking at colleges and preparing for tests has taken up most of their free time, although it seemed like Haru could always make time for swimming. That’s why Makoto was glad they could spend this beautiful April morning together. It wouldn’t be too long until they had to part ways, something that Makoto didn’t like dwelling on, so he cherished the time they could spend together now.

“Is she making it grilled or fried?” Haruka asked, more vocal now that mackerel was the topic of conversation.

“Grilled I think.” He replied, smiling brightly. When he looked away, he noticed the waitress standing patiently next to the table. He smiled at her kindly.

“Good morning. What can I get for you today?” She asked, reaching for her notepad.

“Umm, I’ll have the eggs and bacon please.” Makoto replied. Haruka glared at him as the waitress quickly jotted down the order, nonverbally asking him why he didn’t get the mackerel. Makoto sighed when he noticed Haru’s expression.

“Come on Haru, you know this is one of the only restaurants in town where I can get this, and you make me eat mackerel almost every day!” Haruka snorted in indignation, and Makoto shook his head exasperatedly.

The waitress turned to face Haru. “And for you sir?” She asked, pen poised on the paper. Haruka looked at Makoto expectantly. Makoto rolled his eyes. Even after all these years, Haruka still made Makoto order for him. The only reason he put up with it for so long was because he knew that talking to new people still made him nervous, and he never wanted his friend to feel uncomfortable.

“Really Haru? Again?” Haruka only scowled at him for questioning his nutritional choices. “Okay…umm, he’ll have the fried mackerel please.” The waitress looked surprised, unable to figure out how they were communicating without words.

“…Sure.” She murmured, still confused. It was like they could read each other’s minds! She sighed, wishing she had that ability. They must be really close, she thought. To be able to tell what the other is thinking with nothing but a glance! They fit together perfectly. She’d never met anyone like them. None of the other couples who pass through here have ever seemed that close.

An exasperated voice startled her out of her thoughts. “You know Haru, you really can’t eat mackerel for every meal. You’re going to get sick!” Makoto chastised him gently. Haruka scoffed.

“I’ve lived this long, haven’t I?” He said, watching as Makoto tried to come up with a response that wouldn’t be ignored.

“Yes, but Haru-chan…ugh fine. You can eat mackerel every day as long as you promise to share my lunch with me at school so I know you aren’t just surviving on fish.” Makoto sighed, rubbing his temples. It was a constant battle, one that he knew was hopeless. But it never hurt to try.

“Fine, but drop the chan.” Haruka murmured. Makoto was about to reply when he heard a soft giggle from behind him. He turned around suddenly to see the waitress covering her mouth with her hand. Both Haru and Makoto looked at her in confusion. Seeing their clueless expressions, she was quick to clarify.

“Oh, I’m sorry, but you two make such an adorable couple!” She grinned brightly at the two of them. It took a second for the words to process in his mind, but when they did, Makoto’s jaw dropped, and a blush began to spread across his cheeks. Haru sat there expressionless, uninterested in the conversation. He didn’t know what the big deal was. He turned his head to the window, watching the people walk past and the cars drive by.

Makoto began to stutter frantically. “N-No, umm it’s not like that!” He insisted, waving his hands in front of him. “W-We aren’t together!” Haruka pulled himself out of thoughts of water and turned to face his friend. He couldn’t figure out why his face was so red. Why was he getting so embarrassed? It wasn’t like they were doing anything out of the ordinary, right?

The waitress stopped laughing, tilting her head in confusion. “You…aren’t?” She asked questioningly. It took a moment for everything to sink in. Her eyes widened comically, and she clutched her notepad against her chest. “Oh my goodness! I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean to assume, it’s just that you guys seemed so close, so I just thought-” She cut herself off, obviously flustered. She gave a quick bow, told them their food would be ready soon, and scampered off in the other direction, forgetting to collect the menus in her hurry.

Makoto still had a shocked expression on his face. Together? Is that really what it looked like? He knew he doted on Haru, but he didn’t think people would make _that_ assumption.

“What was that about?” Haruka asked with unexpected interest. Makoto jumped, startled by the sudden noise. Haru stared at him expectantly, waiting for an explanation. Makoto looked at the other boy nervously, running a hand through his hair.

“U-Umm…well, the waitress thought we were d-dating.” Makoto finished the sentence staring down at the table, failing to keep the blush off his face. Haruka cocked his head to the side, wondering what in the world would make her think that.

“Dating? Why?” He asked, genuinely confused. Makoto bit his lip nervously, watching Haruka, who was beginning to look more and more confused by the second.

“I-I don’t know…” He started, smiling weakly at Haruka. “Let’s just enjoy our food. ‘Kay Haru-chan?”

Instantly, Haruka’s expression went from confusion to annoyance. “Lay off the chan.”


	2. Chapter Two

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome back! I hope you enjoyed the last chapter, I certainly had fun writing it. Things are actually starting to happen in this chapter, so please enjoy!

“What’s wrong Mako-chan?” Nagisa asked cheerily, pulling himself out of the pool. Makoto turned his head, startled at the sudden noise. Haru looked on with interest. He was wondering what was bothering Makoto throughout practice, but it didn’t look like anything too serious, so he didn’t think to ask.

Makoto sighed, slumping down on the bench next to the pool and drying his hair with a towel. Padding over, Nagisa stared at him intently, waiting for an answer. Rei tapped him on the shoulder gently. “Please don’t make Makoto-senpai feel uncomfortable Nagisa.” Nagisa rolled his eyes, putting his hand on his hips.

“Come on Rei-chan! I’m just wondering.” He turned back to Makoto. “What, did you have a fight with your parents or something?” Nagisa asked, his eyes wide.

“No, it’s just…Haru and I went to a café yesterday morning and the waitress told us that we were a cute couple!” Makoto flushed pink, twisting the towel between his fingers. “And we’re not even dating!” Makoto cried, obviously distressed over something so trivial.

Rei looked a bit confused. He pushed his glasses up his nose. “…You’re not?” He replied, raising his eyebrows quizzically.

Makoto squeezed his eyes shut. “No! Of course not!” He yelled, burying his face in his arms. Haruka tentatively put a hand on his friend’s shoulder, still a little unsure of what the problem was. It was just a simple mistake that could have happened to anyone. It wouldn’t change anything if he and Nagisa had gone to that same café the other day; the waitress would probably have made the same mistake, right?

Nagisa sighed in exasperation, clapping a hand to his forehead and rolling his eyes, completely ignoring the shocked look on Rei’s face behind him. He couldn’t seem to comprehend the fact that Makoto and Haruka weren’t actually together. It certainly seemed that way to him, but he must have just misinterpreted.

“That’s it?” Nagisa shook his head. “Come on Mako-chan, does that really matter to you! You guys are practically married anyway, so cheer up!” He clapped Makoto on the back in an attempt to lighten the mood. Grabbing Rei by the hand, he began marching toward the locker room, pointing a finger in front of him enthusiastically. “Let’s go Rei! To the changing room!”

When Nagisa’s voice finally faded out of range, Makoto and Haru were left sitting on the bench. Makoto smiled weakly at the shorter boy. “Come on Haru, let’s put this behind us. It was just a simple misunderstanding, so there’s nothing to worry about. Okay?” He stood up, throwing the towel over his shoulder. “I’m going to go get changed. You should probably head in there too. I don’t want you to stay here all night.” Makoto began walking to the changing room, leaving Haru sitting expressionless by himself.

_Practically married? What does that mean? It’s not like Makoto and I have ever done anything out of the ordinary, nothing that would make it seem like we’re married. Isn’t this how best friends act?_

Haru shook his head in frustration. Everything was just getting more and more confusing. He decided to skip the changing part and headed straight home, his mind whirring rapidly. Running up the walkway, he banged the door open and flopped down on the couch, not noticing or caring that he was still soaking wet.

_I don’t understand! It’s always been this way._

Haruka sighed, burying his face into a throw pillow. He would just have to do some research and observe other people at school. Satisfied with his plan, Haru got up off the couch. It was time for mackerel anyway. Tying on an apron, Haru set to work, pulling out pans and grabbing the fish from the fridge. His lips twitched upwards as he heard the familiar sizzle of fish to the skillet. It only remained for a second, however, as he remembered how worried Makoto was at the fact that he ate mackerel for practically every meal. Haruka shook his head. Like that has ever stopped him before. He pushed the mackerel around in the pan, still thinking. At least he had someone to fret over him like that. Ever since his parents moved to Tokyo, Makoto has turned into something of a worried mother. Although he could come off as pushy, it was nice to have someone who cared. A little bubble of warmth swelled in Haru’s chest at the thought. His brows wrinkled at the unexpected feeling, but he chose to ignore it; he had more important things to worry about.

.oOo.

Haruka awoke earlier than normal that morning, sitting up slowly. He blinked his eyes bleary with sleep and ran a hand through his mussed-up hair. Yawning quietly, he turned to the clock next to his bed.

5:49 a.m.

Haruka groaned, resigning himself to just take a longer bath that morning instead of going back to bed. Getting up slowly, he realized that he never changed out of his swimsuit. Haru sighed in exasperation. How could he have forgotten something like that? Shaking his head, he grabbed an identical swimsuit out of his dresser and headed towards the bathroom.

Today he would begin his observations, and he could finally figure out what made he and Makoto stand out. Despite the hours of thought he had put into the subject, Haruka just couldn’t see what made their friendship so different than anyone else’s. He turned the nozzle, letting the hot water flow from the tap. Lost in thought, it was only when the water began to spill over the edge did Haruka manage to turn off the faucet. Letting himself sink under the familiar blanket of warmth, he closed his eyes, waiting for the inevitable opening of the door, signifying that Makoto was there to bring him to school.

After what seemed like hours, Haru heard a soft familiar voice calling out to him, muffled by the water surrounding him. It was only a few seconds later that he heard the door opening. He sat up instantly, shaking his head to rid himself of the extra water. Makoto rolled his eyes, extending a hand towards him. Taking it, Haruka pulled himself out of the bath. Makoto handed him the towel sitting on the counter, sighing in exasperation when he saw the state of Haru’s hands. “Seriously Haru? You’ve been in there for so long this morning that you look like a raisin!”

Haru only glared at him, snatching the towel out of the other’s hands and rubbing it on his head. “It’s not like I care you know.” He mumbled, handed the towel back to his friend. Makoto chuckled good naturedly, hanging the towel up on the rack and latching on to Haruka’s arm. He wouldn’t have time to cook his daily mackerel this morning because it was so late. Ren and Ran insisted that Makoto make them their special breakfast of omelets and rice for their birthday, and he was just too nice to refuse.

“Come on Haru-chan! We’re going to be late for school!” He laughed, tugging Haru away from the kitchen. Haruka scowled at his friend.

“I need to make my food, and don’t call me Haru-chan, I’m not your lover.” He replied in annoyance, yanking his hand out of Makoto’s grip. Makoto bit his lip. He really had to clear this up.

“I know Haru, it’s just a habit from when we were kids.” Makoto scratched the back of his neck nervously. “Are you still upset by what Nagisa said yesterday?” He asked gently. Haruka looked away. Makoto laughed, putting a hand on his friend’s shoulder. “Don’t worry about it. You know Nagisa, always joking around. So don’t get too worked up. Okay?” Haruka nodded slightly, but his mind was still working in overdrive. He felt like he couldn’t let this go until he had some answers. He barely noticed that Makoto was frantically dragging him out the door until the bright sunlight hit his face. Haru lifted an arm up to shield his eyes, squinting from the harshness of the late morning light. Soon they began the familiar route to school. Once his eyes adjusted, Haru gingerly let his hand fall to the side, brushing Makoto’s gently. Makoto smiled softly, looking like he always did. Ever since they were kids, Makoto’s smile has never changed. It was one thing that Haru really liked about him, not that he would ever admit it, but it made him feel safe, like nothing could harm him as long as Makoto was smiling.

Suddenly, Haru’s stomach growled loudly, signifying his lack of food that morning. Makoto laughed sweetly, covering his mouth with a hand. Haruka glared at him. “It’s your fault you know.” He murmured, looking away. It wasn’t until he felt a hand tap him on the shoulder that he looked up again. Makoto was offering him a box. Haru tilted his head in confusion but took the box anyway.

“You can open it now if you want. I don’t think we’ll have time once we get to school. Haru opened the box to reveal a slab of mackerel on rice. He looked at Makoto inquisitively. Makoto ran a hand through his hair. “I made you breakfast. Since I knew you wouldn’t have time once I managed to pull you out of the bathtub. Haru’s eyes widened slightly, looking surprised.

“Thank you.” He said, genuinely happy. Makoto laughed, taking the box back from Haruka and putting the lid on top. As he handed it back, Haru shot him a small smile, one which Makoto returned tenfold. “Don’t worry about it Haru. It’s just something I pulled together while the twins were eating. It wasn’t any trouble. But we’ll only have a couple minutes when we get to school, so just be prepared to eat fast before class starts.” Haru nodded, turning his head to stare at the ocean. He gripped the box tightly.

“I really appreciate it.” Haruka mumbled softly. Makoto grinned back at him.

“I know you do.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed this chapter! It was really fun to write. I can’t wait to write everything that Haru notices about everyone else when he gets to school and how he will react. I’ll try to get the next chapter out by Saturday or Sunday because I’m leaving for a six day trip this Sunday, but I’ll definitely update quickly when I get back. Well, thanks for reading and I’ll see you soon!


	3. Chapter Three

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it’s been so long! This week has been extremely busy (just like all the other ones), and I’ve had to start my summer work, which isn’t fun at all, so I haven’t had much time to write. Despite the delay, I hope you still enjoy!

Quiet murmurs filled the classroom. Haruka was resting his head on his hand and watching the ocean like usual. He sighed quietly. Why did everything have to be so confusing? Why couldn’t he and Makoto just be normal friends? He knew things would blow over sooner or later, but he couldn’t let it go until he got an answer. Haru jumped when a hand tapped him gently on the shoulder. He turned around to see Makoto holding out a pencil with a soft smile on his face. Haruka snorted, taking the pencil from his friend. Makoto chuckled good naturedly, smiling that same smile, the one that made Haru’s chest tighten and his cheeks tingle. He gripped the pencil tightly. This shouldn’t be happening. We’re just friends. He thought to himself.

Another voice broke through the chatter. Sparing a glance, he saw Makoto turn around to face the person behind him. “Hey man, got an extra pencil? I left mine at home.” Makoto smiled apologetically.

“No, I’m sorry. I only have two and I gave the other one to Haru-chan.” He said, causing Haru to let out a huff of annoyance. The boy laughed, rolling his eyes slightly.

“Of course. I should have known. Don’t worry about it Tachibana, I’ll ask someone else.” He was quickly pulled back into another conversation with the boys surrounding him, missing pencil forgotten. Haruka frowned slightly, trying to figure out what the boy had meant. However, he didn’t have much time to dwell on it because the teacher just walked into the room and called the students to attention. Haru sighed, resigning himself to sit through the dull class until he could talk to Makoto again.

.oOo.

“Hey Haru! Wanna go eat in the cafeteria today? Rei’s forcing Nagisa to study for his test in the library.” Haru nodded in response, taking the lunch that Makoto held out for him. It was heavy. Maybe it was mackerel? They walked through the hallway, footsteps in sync. It only took a few minutes for them to reach the cafeteria. Weaving through the tables and the people milling about, they found an empty spot to sit at. Makoto smiled warmly at the raven-haired boy that sat across from him. Haru didn’t meet his gaze. He was still trying to get a grasp on the situation. What did that boy mean when he said he should have known?

In the time that he was milling this over, he had almost completely forgotten his plan. Wasn’t he supposed to be people-watching or something? With a sigh, Haruka resigned himself to look around the cafeteria. There were a lot of people in there. Talking loudly, talking softly or not talking at all. Haruka scanned the room. Gou and her friend Hana were laughing at something on Gou’s phone. Haruka shivered; he really didn’t want to know what they were looking at. He watched as Gou held on to Hana like a lifeline as she wheezed, eyes filling with tears. Haruka scoffed, turning his head the other way. He noticed a group of guys eating lunch together. One of the boys stood up and chucked a piece of half-eaten shrimp across the room, his eyes following it as it promptly landed in a girl’s hair. She squealed in disgust, scrunching her eyes shut and clenching her fists tightly as her friend dug it out of her long black locks. The boy who’d thrown the food was now standing triumphantly atop a chair as one of the guys surrounding him clapped him on the back.

Haruka sighed. Was this how he was supposed to act? Makoto wasn’t anything like these guys, and neither was their relationship, but was that the way it was supposed to be? Haruka ran a hand through his hair, pondering the thought deeply. Why was it that just because they didn’t think throwing things at girls was a good idea, or that they didn’t laugh like Gou and Hana did that make them more than friends? Or was it something else? Haru had absolutely no idea.

“Haru?” He looked up, meeting the kind eyes of his companion. Apparently his “friend” had noticed that something was going on, further than Haruka’s usual quietness.

“Are you-?” He began gently.

“’Sup Tachibana?” The rest of Makoto’s sentence died away as a tall black-haired boy slammed his tray down onto the table, nearly spilling his glass of water in the effort, a posse of guys trailing behind him. He brushed the hair out of his eyes effortlessly, throwing himself into the chair next to Makoto. Haruka sighed once more, taking a sip of his own water and staring down at the lunch Makoto had brought him. It was mackerel; it was always mackerel. Haru would never admit it to his face, but it really did make him happy that no matter how many times Makoto would complain about his diet, he still went to the trouble of making it for him on days that they were running late.

“Nothing much.” Makoto replied kindly, glancing at Haru as the boys made themselves at home around the table. Haruka scoffed, laying his head on his closed fist and refusing to meet Makoto’s eyes. His friend seemed to notice, but he either didn’t want to make a scene or didn’t care enough to mention it.

“Haru?” Oh, maybe he did. Haruka looked up expectantly, sparkling sapphire meeting glittering emerald. Makoto smiled warmly, gesturing to the dark-haired boy sitting next to him. “This is Toichi-kun, he’s in our English class, but I don’t know if you’ve met.” They hadn’t. For the first time, the boy-Toichi-seemed to realize that there was another person at the table.

“It’s Nanase, right?” He asked, extending a hand to Haruka as he nodded. Reluctantly he took it, shaking once, but just as soon going back to his mackerel. The only one he wanted to talk to was Makoto. Seeing that Haruka wasn’t in the mood, he rolled his eyes, turning back to Makoto who was watching Haru with interest. Toichi nudged Makoto with his elbow, leaning in close with a whisper.

“Say Tachibana, what do you think of the new girl, Mari? She’s a cute one, isn’t she?” He asked in a teasing voice, nodding his head at a pretty brown-haired girl who was arm in arm with one of her friends, giggling softly.

“Umm, I-I guess.” Makoto blushed bright red, looking down at his lap. He’d always hated these types of subjects. Haru frowned in annoyance. Wasn’t it obvious that he didn’t want to talk about that?! These guys were really getting on his nerves.

He tapped Makoto on the arm. “I’m going to the bathroom. Be right back.” Makoto gave him a warm smile and a squeeze on the hand in response, then letting him go, watching him turn onto the familiar route. The other guys didn’t seem to notice the absence of the raven-haired boy.

Toichi looked up when Makoto went silent, and only then did he notice that the table was down one person. “Whew, I’m glad he’s finally gone.” Toichi laughed, running a hand through his thick black hair. “He kind of dampens the atmosphere, doesn’t he?” Makoto frowned, gripping his chopsticks tightly.

“Haru is my best friend.” He muttered weakly, unable to come up with any sort of forceful retaliation. Toichi punched him on the shoulder lightly.

“Come on man, don’t you get tired of him following you around all the time? He never leaves you alone! That’s got to be rough. I bet it’s hard to get a girlfriend when he’s stalking you every day. It’s like you’re already taken!” He laughed again, the rest of his group chorusing along in succession.

Makoto bit his lip, averting his eyes. It was true that they stuck together like glue, but that’s the way it’s always been, and he wouldn’t change it for the world. Toichi was making it seem like a different matter all together. Makoto looked up from his food, opening his mouth, freezing in mid breath when he saw a familiar figure slowly disappearing into the hallway once more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you guys so much for being patient with me. I’ve just been insanely busy this Summer, but I’m hoping to post more frequently as school approaches. Please bear with me! I’ll hopefully have the next chapter out when I get back from my next trip around August 5th. I hope you enjoyed!!


	4. Chapter Four

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh my lord. I’ve been insanely busy these past few months! I just haven’t had a break! I’m so sorry for the LONG wait, (I know it’s been months) but thank you to everyone who has bore with me. I’m hoping to have a few more chapters before I finish this, probably about four or five. That isn’t a final count though, so there could be a little more or a little less. Anyway, let’s get into the long-awaited chapter!!

The bathroom door latched shut with a quiet click. Leaning his head against the wall, Haruka sighed with relief. He couldn’t stand being around those obnoxious boys for another minute. Who did they think they were?! He was Makoto’s best friend; they didn’t know anything about him! Haruka scoffed angrily, squeezing his eyes shut. Why did Makoto even want to sit in the cafeteria anyway? They usually ate on the rooftop, just the two of them (unless Rei and Nagisa decided to join them, but that’s beside the point). But he was the one who agreed to it, even if it was just to carry out his plan, so he couldn’t really blame his friend. He would just have to show those idiots who’s boss. Makoto didn’t need anyone like them; Haruka was sure of it.

Unlatching the door, Haru walked briskly back to the table occupied by his best friend and the others. As he drew nearer, he could pick out snippets of whatever conversation they were having. He frowned. Makoto looked uncomfortable. What were they saying to him?! He thought angrily. He picked up the pace, ready to pull Makoto away the second he got back. It didn’t matter what they thought.

“Come on man, don’t you get tired of him following you around all the time? He never leaves you alone! That’s got to be rough. I bet it’s hard to get a girlfriend when he’s stalking you every day. It’s like you’re already taken!” Toichi laughed, his posse chorusing in response. Haruka froze mid-stride, watching as Makoto bites his lip nervously.

He didn’t stick around to hear the answer.

.oOo.

Makoto turned in time to see a flash of raven hair whisk around the corner. _Haru?_ He thought. _Where are you going?_ Makoto stood up abruptly, nearly toppling the same glass of water right off the table. Toichi looked at him in confusion.

“What’s wrong bro?” Makoto smiled weakly as he gathered up his belongings. He had to chase after Haru. Something wasn’t right.

“Umm, I just remembered I have an essay to finish in the library. I’ve got to go, or Samura-san will get angry when I don’t turn it in.” He gave a quiet laugh, scrambling out of his seat. He gave one more smile to the boys at the table, then promptly left. Toichi rolled his eyes.

“What’s his problem?” He mumbled, the other boys mimicking his action. Well at least he tried. It wasn’t his fault Tachibana was stuck with that freak. Toichi sighed in annoyance, watching Makoto scurry down the hallway out of view.

.oOo.

Makoto clutched the bento close to his chest. In his rush to leave the table, he had forgotten to pack up Haru’s barely touched mackerel. He would have to come back for it later. Makoto wracked his brain for anything he could have done to make Haru upset. Was the mackerel too salty? He knew Haru was very particular about his food, so it wasn’t out of the question. Did he just get overwhelmed by all the other people? Makoto couldn’t figure it out. He had no idea why Haru ran off like that!

Makoto shook his head. He would find Haru and he would figure out what was going on. With that in mind, Makoto made his way around the school, checking all of Haru’s typical hideouts. The first place he checked was the pool, but alas, no Haru. Next was the art room. Still no Haru. The last place he could think of was the roof. Makoto gripped the railing tightly, still clenching the bento in his other hand. Just as he was reaching out his hand to grab the doorknob, the bell rang, signaling the end of the lunch period.

Makoto sighed in defeat, leaning back against the wall. He should just give up at this point. It didn’t look like he was going to find Haru any time soon, nor would he have time to look. Feeling dejected, Makoto resolved himself to go back to class. At least he had Japanese literature next, a subject he could actually tolerate. Looking on the bright side, he only had a few more classes left before the end of the day, and swim practice was scheduled for after school. Haru would never miss an opportunity to swim. Feeling his spirits lift ever so slightly, Makoto pushed the problem out of his mind for the time being and rushed of to class.

.oOo.

The rest of the day came and went, but Makoto could scarcely focus on a single thing. Several times he was asked a question and was forced to apologize for not paying attention. Makoto sighed heavily, propping his head up on a fist. He turned to the clock. _Five more minutes. Five more minutes and then I can talk to Haru._

Five minutes can feel like a lifetime when something is weighing on your mind. Makoto watched the seconds pass by. _Tick. Tick. Tick._ It felt like forever, but also not long enough. He knew he needed to talk to Haru, but some part of him was nervous. _What if he doesn’t forgive me? What if he never talks to me again?_ These thoughts swirled around in his mind over and over, and Makoto willed the time to move just a little bit faster.

After what seemed like hours, the bell finally rang, dismissing the class. Makoto took a deep breath, closing his eyes for a moment, and gathered his thoughts. Standing up, he grabbed both lunch boxes from under his desk. Just before class started, a pretty brown-haired girl handed Haru’s lunch to him with a slight bow. She said that she saw them eating together and noticed that he left it behind. Makoto took it from her with a smile, but asked why she didn’t just give it to Haruka. She giggled sweetly, twirling a finger in her hair. “Well,” she said. “I knew you would give it back to him, since you’re like, attached at the hip.” Makoto grimaced, but quickly turned it into a smile of gratitude. He thanked her with a bow and returned to his seat, mind whirring. But he shook it off. Now wasn’t the time to think about that. He already had too many problems.

Makoto blinked, returning to the present. Oh right. Swim practice. Gathering up the rest of his belongings, Makoto pushed through the throng of people desperate to get out the door and hurried to the pool. Nagisa and Rei were walking out of the locker room as he arrived, bickering about something or other. Makoto’s lips twitched upwards. He really did love his friends. Rei adjusted his glasses with one hand and pointed at Nagisa confidently with the other. Nagisa doubled over in laughter at whatever just came out of Rei’s mouth. Rei scowled good-naturedly, looking away pointedly.

“Hey guys!” Makoto waved to them from across the pool. Nagisa looked up, clutching his stomach with tears in his eyes. He grinned widely, waving back enthusiastically. Rei shook his head in exasperation.

Nagisa ran over, grabbing Makoto by the arm. “Hey Mako!” Makoto laughed at the boy’s endless supply of energy. Rei approached a moment later, although much more subdued.

“Greetings Makoto-senpai.” Makoto smiled at him, but he was still scanning the pool for Haru. _I guess he hasn’t come out of the locker room yet._

Nagisa tugged on his wrist. “Mako, where’s Haru?” Makoto almost broke his neck with the speed he turned his head around. He frowned in confusion.

“What do you mean? Isn’t he in the locker room?”

Rei looked concerned. “No, we thought he was probably with you, so we didn’t think much of it. But when he didn’t follow you in here, I started to get worried.” Makoto bit his lip. Was Haru really not here? He would never pass up a chance to swim. At least, Makoto thought he wouldn’t. Maybe they didn’t know each other as well as he thought. As soon as that idea crossed his mind, Makoto pushed it away. No, that couldn’t be right. They knew everything about each other. There was no way.

“Umm, Mako?” Nagisa asked.

“Wha-!” Makoto started, nearly jumping out of his skin. Nagisa was waving a hand in front of his face, trying to get his attention. He rubbed his temple, taking a long, slow breath.

“O-Oh. Well, let’s just get started. I’m sure he’s on his way.” Makoto’s smile didn’t reach his eyes. The others agreed, immediately jumping into the pool and Makoto headed for the locker room. He was starting to get anxious. Where was Haru? Was he okay? Was he hurt? Makoto didn’t know what to do. He sighed, pulling on his jammers. He grabbed his towel on the way out to throw on the bench. He took one for Haruka like usual, putting it next to his. Now all he could do was wait.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you guys so much for reading, it means a lot! Feedback would be awesome! I feel like my writing is a little rusty because I’ve haven’t written in a while, but I’ll get back into the swing of things. Again, I feel awful for the wait, but I hope to actually finish this soon. The next chapter will be up in the next two weeks! Thanks for your patience!


	5. Chapter Five

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Look who’s back. I’ve been dragged back into the Free fandom after kind of falling out for nearly six months. But now I’m back, which hopefully means…more Makoharu!! None of that matters now though, so let’s just get into the chapter. This starts with Haru’s perspective after he goes home.

Nothing felt real. The world was fuzzy, like standing up too fast and feeling everything go black for just a second before it realigns itself. But this wasn’t for just a second, and things weren’t getting any clearer. Haru couldn’t do anything but stand, unsure of how he ended up at home, feeling his vision blur in and out. Nothing made sense anymore.

_“Come on man, don’t you get tired of him following you around all the time? He never leaves you alone! That’s got to be rough. I bet it’s hard to get a girlfriend when he’s stalking you every day. It’s like you’re already taken!”_

Those words shouldn’t have mattered. And yet they did. Because it was Makoto. Makoto, who he’s known since before he could speak. Makoto, who he would willingly spend every waking moment with. Makoto, who he thought would do the same. Until today. Haru felt his heart clench uncomfortably, and he grimaced, clutching his shirt tightly.

Everything has been confusing since that dumb waiter messed up his and Makoto’s relationship—making Haru question everything he ever knew about friends. In the brief time he spent observing other pairs, it was obvious they were different somehow, and apparently everyone else noticed it too. At this point, he kind of understood why people thought they were a couple, because they weren’t normal friends—even if it seemed normal to him. Because what else could they be if they weren’t friends? He didn’t know. But now he knew what friends weren’t. He realized that friends weren’t always attached at the hip; they had other people they could talk to. He realized that friends didn’t make each other lunch every day, nor did they make sure to bring what the other would most likely forget. But most importantly, he realized that friends help each other—it went both ways. That was something Haruka thought he understood. Friendship was supposed to be mutually beneficial; it wasn’t one sided. At least it shouldn’t be. That’s where Haru was stuck. Makoto did so much for him, going out of his way to make Haru’s life easier, but what did Haru ever do for him? The only thing he’s ever done is inconvenience him.

Throughout the years, Makoto has shown him nothing but kindness. When they were just starting preschool, Makoto was the only one to reach out to him—the lonely kid playing in the sandbox all by himself. Something about his crystalline emerald eyes drew him in. It was probably the genuine compassion he saw within them that made Haru want to return the gesture. Ever since then they’ve been inseparable. Eating together, playing together, walking together. It’s always been _together_. And that was the problem. It _always_ was.

_“…don’t you get tired of him following you around all the time?”_ Didn’t he? He never left him alone, so how could he even have time for himself or people not named Haruka Nanase? Nothing felt right anymore. The relationship he thought he’d been building for seventeen years was falling apart, if there ever really was one.

Haru closed his eyes, rubbing his temples in an attempt to get rid of his pounding headache. That guy was right. He was just holding Makoto back. He needed to be more independent. He’d been living alone for years now, yet still relied on Makoto to get him to school on time. What part of that made sense?

He would start doing things himself—give Makoto a break from babysitting him. Makoto should have flocks of people surrounding him; his sunny attitude and smiling face had a gravitational pull like that of the sun. But if Makoto was the sun, then Haru was the moon—pushing people away as soon as he arrived. Thus, his classmates eventually gave up on getting close to Makoto. Maybe he could get himself a girlfriend, according to that guy, if Haru left him alone. For some reason, that thought didn’t sit well with him. It felt heavy in his stomach and made his head hurt even more. But he didn’t have time for stupid things like that—not when his “friendship” was on the line.

Haru’s sigh was laden with regret. There was so much he should have done differently. That’s why he needed to start now. He could ignore the pain in his chest for as long as he wanted—Makoto was the one that mattered.

The world had finally come back into focus, but seeing clearly didn’t make anything better. It just made Haru realize what an awful friend he’d been, which honestly just made him feel worse. If he thought hearing Makoto agree with that guy was bad (the fact that he left too soon to actually hear Makoto’s response didn’t matter, he knew what he was going to say), then he was nowhere near prepared for the realizations and pain it would leave in its wake. He knew things had to change. He just hoped it wasn’t too late to change them.

It took a good twenty-five minutes for Haru to pull himself up from the floor of his kitchen and drag himself into his room. He didn’t even bother taking a bath; he just threw himself onto the bed and chucked his school bag across the room. It made a loud _thunk_ as it hit the wall, books and papers spilling onto the floor. Haru grunted at the noise, burying his head into the pillow. He felt something tight press against his neck. His tie. He was still in his uniform. Groaning, Haru began to pull it off.

_Makoto would kill me, or at least give me the disappointed mom look, if I came to school with a wrinkled uniform._

He paused, shirt halfway over his head, frowning. Instead of tossing the clothes on the floor like he was planning, Haru folded them—albeit messily due to lack of experience—and then tossed them on the floor. Huffing, Haru wrapped himself in the blankets and forced his eyes shut. Sleeping was the only thing he could think of doing at the moment; everything else just seemed like too much work. He would make things better tomorrow. Then Makoto would be free of him. It wasn’t something Haruka liked to think about. Makoto was a stable presence in his life, someone he really cared for, but if he was hurting him, then he must be doing this whole friendship thing entirely wrong.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading! I hope this chapter wasn’t too angsty, it was basically just Haru getting upset for being a “bad” friend. He’s not a bad friend, Makoto just likes doting on him—that’s how they work. Also, I wanted to point something interesting out: I think Haruka and Makoto actually met sometime during elementary school (I didn’t use this in my fic because I like the idea of them knowing each other since preschool or from when they were toddlers). I found this out like last week when I was watching Free with my cousin, but at the end of one of the episodes (season 2 maybe?) Makoto was doing the end credits thing, and he was gonna tell a story or something, and he starts with “Back in first grade, before Haru and I knew each other…” (idk if that’s the exact wording but who cares), so I guess that’s when they met. I don’t know, I just thought it was interesting, but it doesn’t really matter. Anyway, thank you so much for reading, feedback would be awesome! I’ll see you in the next chapter!

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Things are going to heat up in the next one! I don’t know what my update schedule will be, since I have final exams this week and next week, but I’ll definitely make time for this. Thanks for reading and please leave a comment with anything you liked or didn’t like.


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